Planning for Summer...

I love summer...it's my SAHM part of the year and I love having more time with the kids, more time to work on projects, more time for everything fun!  Here's a few things that I take time to plan intentionally during the summer...

Camps: We offer the boys two camps of their choice.  This summer they are both going to a "sleep away camp" so I need to make sure I have medical forms filled out and forms for meds signed by the doctor.  The camp has provided a great packing list, so I will help the boys pack their own bags, sleeping bags and pillows.  I also set up their account at the camp store so they have some spending money.  Finally, I will need to make sure I send mail a few days ahead of time, so they receive letters during their week away.

Rather than a second camp, the boys chose to spend a weekend in Seattle with tickets to a Sounders game!  Yay - family adventures.

Homework: The dreaded two words...for my boys that is!  As a teacher, I know that kids lose basic skills over the course of the summer and often enter school a bit behind of where they left in June.  make sure the kids keep their skills sharp with Summer Bridge Activities.  This book is set up in a work book format with a little reading, a little math and a little writing each day.  There is also a place to track summer reading and set goals.  Each page takes about 20 minutes a day and reinforces skills the boys already have.

We also choose several science projects over the course of the summer.  Check out The Science Mommy for lots of summer fun!

Adventures: Our neck of the woods is full of outdoor recreational opportunities and we have lots of family & friends to play with.  I make sure to have at least one adventure planned every week.  These range from a day at the local beach to a bike journey along the Hiawatha Trail to a picnic at the skateboard park to a whitewater rafting excursion.  Grand scale or local the boys look forward to our adventures every week.

Play Time: I know it sounds crazy to "intentionally plan" play time!  The fact is, there are so many opportunities and invitations that sometimes I have to turn them all down in favor of staying home...sleeping in, playing in the backyard, playing video games in the cool basement...I need to remember to slow down and celebrate the moment!

What are you making time for this summer?